Go the Biff

Yep, good point well made. The Pick 20 thing gets me because I'm greedy. Handing it to the Pies has me mourning the loss of a crack at a Shuey et al. If Stringer or Garlett or Kennedy slip that far I'll be well [censored] off. But I concede there are no guarantees & we could well draft a Maric again. At the end of it, as you say, the club will have picked up the two young players it wanted most and some useful additions to the framework it wants to develop them in. Good result

Highest bidder for Steph I'm afraid. I get the impression his cards are marked. My daughters will be filthy as they are fans. This one might come back to bite us on the bum as his ability hasn't been harnessed yet. You can't keep them all though.

I'm in the school that thinks pick 20 is well over Dawes current value but it appears Neeld has got his man & will pay that price The least of my worries about him though, is when the ball hits the ground. He contests, handballs, blocks, shepherds etc. For a big unit he really does have a crack when the pill hits the deck.

Horrid. If Sam Reid can be levered out of the Swans (which I highly doubt) why wouldn't we shift our focus from Dawes to him and leave the Pies out ? Different type to Dawes but a better player. Dawes is not worth a first round pick.

Your draft wishlist is still well & truly alive. Hopefully we hang onto P13 rather than involve it in a Dawes trade. Or the Hogan deal. Would like to think Pick 3 should be enough for that

Pick 4 should be off the table. Unless you are using it to bring in a star which neither of these players are, we need pick 4 to draft top end talent into the club. If you go to Ben-Hur's Blue Sky thread (admittedly a bit has happened since that was posted) you can see that the foundation of a good team is there. We need to build on that. In B-H's example he has included a top forward in Cloke. And that team looks good. Put Dawes in there instead and it's far less inspiring. I believe the club can turn its fortunes around relatively quickly. It will take more than one draft / trade / free agency period though. FWIW when I first saw the list of free agents my initial reaction was meh, I wonder who will be free agents next year. That might be a better time to strike. I expect us to improve next year if only through better fitness, better understanding of the coach's requirements & better understanding of the games plan. Not a quantum leap though. We'll still struggle but we will see improvement. That's ok. I don't subscribe to the sky is falling, club will fold mentality of some. 2013 I believe will be a launch pad for a sustained period of finals appearances. But we can't afford many mistakes & trading pick 4 for a couple of structural role players would be one of those. Paying over the odds will set us back. I'm happy to see mature players brought onto the list - but at the right price. I applaud the pickup of Byrnes because he fills a need and cost us nothing. I hope we draft his replacement as well, a Kennedy or Garlett who can learn from him. I'll applaud the recruitment of Dawes if we get him for his right price - a second round pick and / or a player. But if him coming to the club in any way costs us pick 4 I will fair dinkum spew up. Yes he would benefit our structure but I would rather see what Leigh Williams can offer in the big bodied lead-up role than overpay. Who knows what will be available next year. We don't have to fill all the holes in one go. There's a concern that we can't attract players but who that we've really been after that we've missed. We may not look a great destination at face value but in 12 months I expect us to look quite promising. Mitch Clark came over because he bought into what we were doing. Others will as well, especially if we can show we are on the way back in 2013. Moneyball gets quoted a fair bit but I prefer another baseball movie. If you build it, they will come. We're in the process of building it. I'm optimistic enough to think that if we don't make many farkups along the way, soon the MCG will once again be our Field of Dreams

That's what I thought - a rebuild of their 2010 forward structure - but it appears not to be the case. As I read it, Dawes spoke with Buckley and after this decided to investigate his options. If they were reinventing their wheel you'd have thought Dawes would have been reassured, not seeking a release.

Mike Sheahan has some interesting views on Dawes. In a nutshell, can't understand why we would pursue him http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Herald-Sun-columnist-Mike-Sheehan/6145 The interview is about his top 50 but in the last couple of minutes he's asked about some player movement issues

Greg Swan just rang in & described this rumour / article as crap. Never spoken to or about Watts. Sounded a bit [censored] off with the rumour mill

I think WYL just rang in. Either him or Stuie

I much prefer the scenario you have in your sig Pick 4 !!! FFS. What are people thinking ? 2 "role players" are worth pick 4 ? Wellingham is a fifth choice mid (sixth when Ball is fit again) with dodgy disposal. Has never shown he can lead a midfield. Never shown he can wear a tag Dawes is a 2nd / 3rd type forward. Not a goalkicker of note. Not a matchwinner. Not a great contested mark. Clunks them on the lead but rarely in traffic. On his 2012 form you'd struggle to justify how he got as many games as he did. And for those who want to point out that he was great in 2010 /11 I have one word.......Moloney

FWIW I reckon he's going nowhere Hasn't stopped us from generating a five page thread on it though !!!

Forced out / offered up / placed "on the table" etc

I think Old55 has this sorted. Pies looking to return to the forward structure that won them a flag. If however, Dawes is forced out due to salary cap constraints, he could certainly play a role with us. At the very least he could spread the opposition defence & reduce the double-teaming that Clark cops. If he does end up looking for a new home, you'd think the Bulldogs would be barking and would be prepared to offer up more than most. Their forward line makes our midfield look well stocked.

McAdam went off half-cocked & uninformed over the Mifsud / Neeld / Davey story as well so this would be no departure from form The more you watch the show the more you realise - Gilbert does not think.

Tilbrook would have been recruited under Beckwith or Ridley. Massive unit with a turning circle to match. All chest & jawbone. Think he cost us $18k, a king's ransom back then. Norsworthy was later. Maybe Skilton. Felt sorry for Norsworthy - remember a photo of him training alone outside the MCG after he got the flick.

That highlight reel - jeez he's great to watch when he hits a pack. If that doesn't inspire your team mates & show them an example of how you commit to a contest, I don't know what would. Credit to Fatboy McChins too - that was a good interview

Can't understand why they are bothering playing him in the last two games. He looks to have lightened off. Once it was realised his ankle was rooted, there was a chance to chuck him in the gym with Mitch Clarke & his moonboot to concentrate on strength conditioning. And maybe to absorb some of Clarke's philosophies on how you go about playing footy. Opportunity missed

I see only a Messerschmitt

To what ? How about you tell us exactly what the questions are you want answered ? And by whom. Then perhaps we'll have some idea of where you're coming from, rather than wanting to cyber-shoot you when your next "Woe is me" post appears Be specific

Don't think so. GWS wanted a #1 draft pick for whatever reason. Scully wasn't their first choice nor was he the first to receive the 6 for 6 offer

Matty Bishop - no star but forged a solid career at the Power & was a premiership player Nathan Bassett

Can't figure out why some would want to shove him sideways to the rookie list. God help us if we miss the chance to draft pick 59 or whatever. I'd re-sign him today

You'd think there's grounds for reasonable doubt in a trial I've always struggled to reconcile being attacked by a physically fit, pretty big unit wielding a machete with an outcome of six stitches. Reckon Oucher did more damage opening a stubbie. In the meantime, business as usual. Get LJ fit, healthy & on the paddock kicking goals

Richmond & Coburg announced that they are going their separate ways from 2014.